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​About the UN Program
                              Maureen Burns-Bowie
​                                                         Director

 
       
 WOMEN'S CAUCUS FOR ART HAS BEEN AN NGO
(NON-GOVERNMENTAL ORGANIZATION)  OF THE UNITED NATIONS SINCE 1975
 
Women's Caucus for Art has been an NGO (Non-Governmental Organization) of the United Nations since 1975.  In the past, WCA's primary engagement with the UN was attending conferences.  Under the leadership of Nancy Cusick and Cynthia Navaretta, members of WCA participated in United Nations International Women's Conferences, including the 1975  First World Conference on Women in Mexico City.  In the 1980 "World Conference of the United Nations Decade for Women"  in Copenhagen,  WCA member Susan Schwalb coordinated all art activities  in cooperation with KIK International and Annelise Jarvis Hansen.  WCA artists also participated in the  1985 "World Conference to Review and Appraise the Achievements of the UN Decade for Women" in Nairobi.  In 1995 the "Fourth World Conference on Women" was held in Beijing, China.  Nancy coordinated art events with the National Museum of Women in the Arts and Women's Caucus for Art, presenting "Global Focus: Women in Art and Culture" (which travelled to other international museums and universities after the UN conference).  Under the presidency of Helen Klebesadel, and chairmanship of Jo Hockenhull, 100 WCA members participated in this historic event.  Significant exhibitions were also launched by Muriel Magenta ("World's Women Online") and Carole Richard Kaufmann ("Beijing and Beyond").  Both the National Museum of Women in the Arts and Rutgers University house extensive archives of these events.  After a hiatus, WCA has begun again to be more involved with UN activities, to engage with other NGO's, and to create art presentations and exhibitions that promote women's issues and support UN platforms.  Priscilla Otani, past president, and Sherri Cornett, former chair of the International Caucus, re-invigorated WCA's role in the UN, by participating in international conferences and events, and developing new avenues for participation of WCA members.  With Helen Poole Newman, Priscilla attended the 2008 DPI/NGO UNESCO Conference in Paris, and in cooperation with KIK and Ribbons International, exhibited at the NGO conference in Bonn Germany with Sherri Cornett. Sherri also curated significant international exhibitions in Korea and China.

Because of my background, having co-founded IAWA, an international women's art organization, and having exhibited and curated for UN programs (including the Beijing conference) I became Director the International Caucus UN Program, created  in 2013.  This is an excellent time for WCA to strengthen and expand it's relationship with the UN.  The United Nations has articulated a renewed and energized focus on NGO's and civil society, women's issues, human rights, environmental concerns, and artists.  They feel that artists can best communicate to the world at large the important issues of the day.  Working with the United Nations is an impressive and inspiring experience.  Most of the positive and progressive changes in the world begin with ideas developed and given substance at the UN.  There are over 10 million NGO's in the world, but only 1400 that are affiliated with the United Nations.  It is a great honor for WCA to be one of them. 

​The three main areas of focus that I have chosen include: Human Rights, Environment, and Culture of Peace.

Since the establishment of the UN Program in 2013, we have presented three art and activism panels at the Commission on the Status of Women Conferences, attended several General Assembly High Level Forums of the Culture of Peace and the annual General Assembly meetings for world leaders.  We attended three NGO international conferences, participated in numerous weekly briefings and lectures for NGO's, established a collaboration with City University of New York (CUNY) under the directorship of Liz DiGiorgio, to mentor and award two college credits to students in the UN Youth Representative Program.  We have attracted international artists who wish to collaborate with WCA and the International Caucus.  We have attended celebrations of women artists and performers, consulted with international NGO's on issues around art and activism, and participated in Holocaust Commemoration ceremonies. Our members have written numerous articles on UN platforms and created activist art reflecting those values.  Each year we nominate activist/artists to our Honor Roll, recognizing outstanding artwork which supports UN Platforms.  We attend book readings and special events celebrating accomplishments of women. We have created a video, "Women Artists Consider Our World" showcasing the artwork of 30 WCA artists to illustrate the Sustainable Development Goals of the UN and an online publication: "Beijing Journal", documenting the UN 4th World Conference on Women in Beijing, China.

It is an honor for WCA to be a UN/NGO.  There are 10 million NGO's in the world but only 13oo are affiliated with the United Nations. It is important and meaningful that WCA is affiliated with the UN.   As you cross the plaza into Headquarters, you have left the United States, and are in International Territory.  The laws of the land are different.  You are suddenly a global citizen.  And to be surrounded by thousands of people who are all working to better the world is truly a life changing event.


HIGHLIGHTS OF WCA'S UN NGO PROGRAM


Director's Updates

News and commentary provided by Burns-Bowie of current UN events . Artwork, writings, and participation reports of UN Program members which are relevant to UN Platforms.     
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Panel Presentations at UN Commission on the Status of Women Conferences

Topics: Suppression of environmental news, reclaiming Holocaust narratives, dialogues with enemies, community development through the arts. Presenters:  Marcia Annenberg, Dr. Karen Frostig, Madeleine Segall-Marx, Dr. Mary Hamill, Anne Kantor Kellett, Allison Milewski


UN Program Members Attend and Participate in the Following Events:

International NGO Conferences
Weekly Briefings at UN Headquarters sponsored by UN Global Communications Civil Society Unit
UN WOMEN and Commission on the Status of Women Conferences
High Level Forums on the Culture of Peace
General Assembly Meetings
Holocaust Memorial Ceremonies
Remembrance of Victims of Slavery Memorials
Violence Against Women Seminars
Book Readings
Special events celebrating women's accomplishments


UN Youth Representatives Program

Director and Mentor:  Liz DiGiorgio Art Professor, CUNY
Mentor: Kebedech Tekleab Art Professor, CUNY


Online Publication:
​"Beijing Journal:  Looking Back, Looking Forward: United Nations Fourth World Conference on Women, Beijing, China"   

Creator, Editor: Maureen Burns Bowie 
Archived:   National Museum of Women in the Arts Betty Boyd Dettre Library & Research Center
Included in Publication: "Memories and Messages for the Next Generation Beijing + 25" Soon-Young Yoon and Tanya Selvaratnam
Feminist and Women's Movement Action Plan NGO/CSW/NY UN and Civil Society Commission of the Status of Women

Artists recollections of historic conference in Beijing, China Contributors: Susan Schwalb, Annelise Jarvis Hansen, Betsy Damon, Riane Eisler, Gloria Orenstein, Helen Klebesadel, Jo Hockenhull, Ann Christensen, Liz Dodson, Carole Richard Kaufmann, Joyce Koskenmaki, Muriel Magenta, Ann P. Meredith, Young Soon Min, Julia Morrisroe, Katherine Rosing, Leslee Nelson, Rebecca Pavlenko, Jill Waterhouse, Carol Plaia, Susan Noyes Platt, Ann Rosenthal, Ruth Waters, Marilyn Waligore, Jaiyi Young, Kebedech Tekleab
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Video: "Women Artists Consider Our World"   

​Curator, Creator:  Maureen Burns Bowie

Debut at United Nations Commission on the Status of Women Conference
​One hour video of artists creating works that support UN Platforms.  Topics include: homelessness, international health clinics, Mexican farm labor, sex abuse and trafficking, water rights, environmental concerns, feminism, war, women leaders in the Amazon, life in rural Cambodia, community activism through the arts.
Artists:  Alli Berman, Maureen Burns Bowie, Sherri Cornett, Linda Rae Coughlin, Betsy Damon, LizDiGiorgio, Joanna Fugliniti,Dr. Mary Hamill, Marjorie Hamlin, Carole Richard Kaufmann, Anne Kantor Kellett, Simone Kestelman, Sheri Klein, Ikie Kressel,Allison Milewski, Eva Preston, Seda Saar, Bonnie Jean Smith, Helaine Soller, Elizabeth Sowell-Zak, Joyce Ellen Weinstein, NeginSharifzeda, Ammalith, Chittaphone, Angel Fogah, Alexa Macauley, Maiying, Meri Marabayan, Sompanee, Bao Song, Yachur and Latao, Ying Song.


UN Program Honor Roll

Recipients:  Simone Kestelman, Ragdoll Project (Joanna Fugliniti), Louder than Words (S.A.Bachman, Neda Moridpour), Betsy Damon, Marcia Annenberg, Earth Celebrations (Felicia Young),  Dr. Karen Frostig, Danielle Eubank, Krisanne Baker, Helen Klebesadel
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​UNITED NATIONS STRUCTURE    
   
​
THE MAIN FUNCTIONS OF THE UN ARE: to foster and maintain world peace and security , uphold international law,  promote economic and social development,  protect human rights, promote environmental stewardship, provide humanitarian assistance in natural disasters, conflict, and war.
    
TWO MAIN BRANCHES OF THE UNITED NATIONS:
 
1. OFFICIAL MEMBER STATES which send delegates to the UN and who make major decisions of international import, try to diplomatically and peacefully reach  accords, and craft international treaties and agreements as an international governmental body.    
 
General Assembly
193 member states
Multilateral discussion of international issues
Establishment of international law

Security Council
15 members
Maintains international peace and security by imposing sanctions or force if necessary

ECOSOC Economic and Social Council
Research and analysis
Develop global norms for sustainable development

International Court of Justice
Uphold international law

Secretariat
Support system of Secretary General
 
2. NGO's  (Non-Governmental Organizations) which are humanitarian grassroots activist organizations, with membership that is involved in any activities that support UN platforms. NGO's are independent from government, and serve as a crucial  information and activities links between the formal UN structure and civil society.
 
Women's Caucus for Art  involvement with the UN is as an NGO.  We occasionally visit the governmental/diplomatic wing of the United Nations to observe debates and hear official speeches.  But the main focus of our engagement is with other non-governmental, non-profit and academic groups who commit time and resources for humanitarian activities.  There currently are 1500 NGO's  which range in size from small, local, community based volunteer organizations to large national and international networks which function in a very public arena.  They are all primarily hard working altruists who dedicate themselves to the betterment of the world.  For example, they work to defend all human rights,  they fight to stop sex traffickng, to allow young girls access to educational opportunities and protect them from early marriage and FGM,  to bring clean drinking water to millions, to fight climate change, build for sustainable development,  to attack misogyny , to send medical workers to the front lines of battle zones, to find aid for refugees, to denounce authoritarianism, fight hunger and poverty, protect civil and religious liberties, protect indigenous cultures,, build foundations for peace, protect art and heritage sites.  Their visions are broad and comprehensive, their people are  noble and inspiring.
 

WCA is Primarily Involved with Three Entities Within the UN:
 
1.UN Global Communications Civil Society Unit  is our resource center and it coordinates NGO activities.
 
2. UN Women
 
3. Commission on the Status of Women
 
​The two women's groups are focused on gender equity within the UN system and in the world at large.  They generate research, legislation, sponsor international conferences, and carefully monitor women's rights globally.
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​For more information, please visit the following sites:
 
UN Structure and History:
 www.un.org

UNIVERSAL DECLARATION OF HUMAN RIGHTS:
www.un.org/universal-declaration-human-rights

Sustainable Development Goals (SDG's)
www.un.org/sustainabledevelopment/sustainable-development-goals